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The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 received a thoughtful housewarming gift courtesy of artists Doug Bradford and Cindy Hatt, who recently donated a series of paintings celebrating veterans.
The works of Doug Bradford and Cindy Hatt will adorn new Legion building on Great Northern Road
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 received a thoughtful housewarming gift courtesy of artists Doug Bradford and Cindy Hatt, who recently donated a series of paintings celebrating veterans.
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The father-daughter team showcased these paintings last Friday at the new Legion building on Great Northern Road, which currently serves as the organization’s headquarters and a 108-unit apartment complex.
During a formal ceremony inside the building’s war museum, Bradford and Hatt unveiled eight paintings that speak to their own artist strengths and historical interests.
Bradford’s three watercolour paintings showcase the Canadian military in action across land, air and sea, including the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Meanwhile, Hatt’s acrylic works highlight military members whose sacrifices haven’t always been front and centre, including the contributions of women, Indigenous people and service animals.
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This kind of subject matter is no stranger to the Bradford family, with the family patriarch having a history of creating paintings through the Canadian Forces Artists Program.
Bradford’s involvement in the program allowed him to work shoulder-to-shoulder with members of the military, including a stint painting the navy in action aboard the HMCS Calgary.
Several of the paintings Bradford created from this expedition were subsequently put on display in the Canadian War Museum.
While Hatt hasn’t received the same military access as her father, his passion for the armed forces has helped guide her career as an artist and her role as a parent.
“My parents brought us to every Remembrance Day ceremony (as kids) and I’ve done the same with my kids, because I think it’s really important that they understand the value of our military and all the good work they do for us,” Hatt told The Sault Star a day before the ceremony.
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During Friday’s unveiling, Legion Branch 25 president Pierre Breckenridge mentioned this artwork was made possible thanks to a grant from the city’s Arts and Culture Assistance Program.
Breckenridge also mentioned that working with Bradford and Hatt to bring this project to fruition has been a “pleasure,” with their passion for the subject matter being apparent right from the start.
“Your gift will hang with pride on the walls of our building,” the Legion president said. “You and your family will always be welcome and considered family.”
Friday’s ceremony also featured remarks from elected officials such as Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, MP Terry Sheehan and MPP Ross Romano.
During his time on the mic, Romano said this kind of artwork serves an important function for younger Canadians such as his children, who are increasingly removed from the major conflicts that required significant sacrifices from members of the armed forces.
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“The more our next generations continue to grow so distant from that time, the harder it is for them to really appreciate and understand what happened,” Romano said.
“This work really encapsulates … what people went through, what they endured, the reason they endured it and the benefit we’ve received as a result.”
Friday’s ceremony also served as a soft opening for the new Legion building, which began moving residents into the complex throughout May and June.
Breckenridge told The Star that the Legion will host an official grand opening ceremony sometime in the near future.
The building serves as a replacement for the old Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 headquarters, which was torn down in the summer of 2022 after occupying 96 Great Northern Road for 55 years.
kdarbyson@postmedia.com
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